Latch



MTA/5.5556.-

June 21, 1932. c. c. BATINA 1,854,177

LATCHA i original Filed may s1, 1928 vr v Gamm v @y /1/5 Arme/vin Patented June 21, 1932 PATENT kOFFICE CHARLES C. BATINA, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS LATCH Drignal application led' May 31,1928, Serial No. 281,653. Divided and this application ledrApril 6,

' 1929. Serial No. 353,126.

This invention relates to latches and the particular subject matter thereof embodied in this application constitutes a division of applicants copending application for patent Serial-Number 281,653, filed May 31, 1928,

for improvements in washing machines, issued as Patent No.1,805,862, dated May 19, 1931.

The present invention has for its principal l0 objects to improve generally upon latches or locking` devices of the spring-pressed type; to'provide a structure which will securely hold in its locking relation and yet is easily released at the willof the operator and having provision for relea-s'ably securing the bolt element in retracted position; and to attain certain advantages as will more fully appear in the following description.

The invention consists in the novel construction and in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view illustrating an adaptation of a latch to the meeting portions of two parts to be locked according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the latch Y detached;

** Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on or about the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the latch bolt in retracted position and the V handle member in the relative position for holding the latch bolt retracted; and

Fig. 5 is a. cross-section taken on or about the line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the numerals and 41 designate the meeting por- 40 tions of two members to be locked together.

Said members 40 and 41 respectively represent cooperating meeting portions corresponding to the guide member 30 on the washing machine cylinder 23 and the cooperating cover member 29 in the structure set forth in the said copending application Serial No. 281,653, but, obviously, as far as the present invention is concerned, these meeting portions 40 and 41 may be parts of various other devices or structures.

The latch body as designated generally by the numeral 42 comprises a rectangular raised housing 43 having the base flanges 44 which are riveted or otherwise secured to the member 41V as vat 45. Slideable within the housing 43 is the bolt element 46 having the' forwardly extending lug 46 which is adapted to engage in the socket portion of a keeper 47 secured on the adjacent portion of the memberV 40. The rearward main body portion of the latch bolt is restricted in `width and is slidably fitted to an opening 43 in the rear wall of the housing-43.

The bolt element 46 is normally maintained in a forwardly extended or closed position by means of compression springs 48 whose end portions respectively abut the rear wall of the housing 43 and lateral shoulders 49 a the forward portion ofthe bolt lelement 46, said springs being held in place by bosses 49 provided therefore on said wall portionsV and lateral extensions. A handle member V50 having an L-shaped extension 50 is inserted through a slot 51 in the top wall of the housing 43 and into a slot-52 provided in said latch' bolt 46, said portion 50 of the handle member 50Abein'g pivoted on the'pin l{5)2twhich extends transversely of said latch The handle member 50 is provided with ak lug 53 whichis undercut or notched as at 53 so as to-engage the edge portion of the top wall ofthe housing 43 when the latch lbolt 46 is in its forwardly extendedy or closed position as shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive.V

Preferably, the handle member 50 has a widened end portion 54 in which apertures 55 are'provided for the engagement of the operators fingers in manipulating the latch bolt as will lbe now described.

As hereinbefore stated, latch bolt 46 is normally pressed forwardly by the springs 48, whereby the extention 46 is yieldably held in engagement with the keeper 47, at which time the notched lug 53 of the handle member 50 is engaged with the adjacent edge portion of the top wall of the housing-43,as best shown'inwFigure 3. By the peculiar construction and'arrangement-herein lillus- 100 trated and described, the springs 48 function not only to press the latch bolt 46 with its portion 46 in engagement with the keeper 47, but said springs also act to hold the handle member with its notched lug 53 in engagement withvthe marginal portion of the housingg43, which is of material' advantage in that the liability of the handle member becoming accidentally moved is minimized.

When it is desired to1release1thellatch bolt. from engagement with the keeper 47 it isV readily retracted by grasping the apertured' end .portion 54 of the handle member 50 and moving it' longitudinally a distance suihr ciently to disengage the notched lug 53 from the marginal portion ofA the housingg43 and then swinging said handle member awayv from thelmember4l onf which the latch is mountefdand. thereby bringing the corner portionoi:l thefha-n'dle member into engage- 4ment. with the end-portion 5l ofthe slot- 5l in .the top wallofthe housing 43, said handle member, ofcourse, having been first moved longitudinally` until its angular extension 50 .hadengaged or nearly engaged the opposite endportion 5l of said slot 5l, and by a con'- tinued swinging movement? of, saidy handle member 50 on'its pivot 52 and with itsvcorner portion in slidable-engagement with the end portion 5l ofsaid slot 51 the latch bolt 46 istmoved further into retracted position; and in thefinalV retracted position of said latch bolt, as shown in .Figure 4, said. handle member 50 has .been moved throughapproximatelyan'angle of 90 degrees, or at substantially right angles. toits normally closedI position as shown-in Figure 3, in which iinal position of the parts they are releasablyy locked-by the action of the compressed-springs48 exerting their force yto hold the -portion of the handle member 50 in Ltheregggion of its right angulari extension Oin engagement with f the end portion 51 at the slot lin the housing 43.

A latch ofthe character of the present invention is. of material advantage, particularlyv in caseswherea multiplicity of latchesv are required and have to be 4opened orreleased byafsingle operator.. `'Ilhat isto say, it is 1an easyk matter. fortheoperator to grasp the ciic details of construction shown in the ac'- companying drawing.

Having described my invention, which I claim as new and desire to secure Letters Patent; y

A latch comprising a` casing,a bolt slidable longitudinally Within said casing and being normally projected in locking position, said bolt being provided with lateral shoulders.adjacent'itslforward end, a pair of compression springs disposed on opposite sides of' said bolt and interposed between the respective shoulders and the opposed inner wall surfaces" of'said casing', said b'olt and" saidicasing being provided with cooperatively coincident.longitudinalslots, and alsu'bstantially L-shapedhandle member, the -end of one legportionof which is pivotally Se-l cured .withinthe slotted portion of said bolt and said leg being ,normally projected through the slotfinsaid casing,the other legl of said handle member extending normally substantially parallel with the longitudinal axisV of said bolt withv its end projected beyond said casing and being providedvvith' a widened end portion having finger engaging apertures,1a' notched lug on said handle member for releasable interlocking engagementv Withsaid casing when saidbolt is in normally projected lockingcondition, saidlirst-mentioned leg portion of said handle. member being located entirely within the longitudinal slot of said bolt` in the retracted position' of the latter, andthe second mentioned leg portionrof said handle member engaging the end of thefslot in said casing to holdl said. bolt in retracted position'.

In testimonyv whereof' I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES o. BATINA. 

